People

Scott Loss

Educational/Professional Background

Postdoctoral Research Fellow - Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park (2011-2013)

PhD - University of Minnesota; Conservation Biology (2011)

MS - University of Illinois; Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences (2007)

BS - University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point; Wildlife Ecology and Management; Biology (2004)

Originally from Waukesha, Wisconsin, I like to spend my free time playing with my daughter, birding (both for fun and only somewhat competitively), traveling, hiking, bicycling, canoeing/kayaking, and brewing beer.

Scott on Google Scholar

Scott on ResearchGate

Dr. Samantha McGarrigle (Postdoctoral Fellow)

Samantha is a Postdoctoral Fellow funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In collaboration with USDA, USGS, and U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Lab, Samantha is using big data to study effects of wind energy and USDA's Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) on birds, including potential interactive effects of wind and CRP. Her research will be used in an interdisciplinary analysis of ecological & economic outcomes of wind and CRP, and in models forecasting wind development scenarios in the U.S. Samantha is co-advised by Scott and Dr. Courtney Duchardt (University of Arizona).

Samantha is from Hampden, Maine and received her BS in Marine Biology with a minor in Ecology from Unity College and PhD from the University of New Brunswick, where her research focused on the effects of water column and sediment carbonate chemistry on infaunal invertebrates in the intertidal of New Brunswick. Samantha's research interests include avian ecology, community ecology, and global change ecology. In her free time, Samantha enjoys baking, photography, video games, and reading/collecting books.

Dr. Mark Nessel (Postdoctoral Fellow)

Mark is a Postdoctoral Fellow funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service (and specifically, through the Conservation Effects Assessment Project, CEAP). Mark is leading a meta-analysis and scoping review of the effects of USDA's Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) on wildlife. His research results may also be incorprated into an interdisciplinary analysis of ecological & economic outcomes of CRP led by researchers in USDA's Economic Research Services. Mark is co-advised by Scott and Dr. Courtney Duchardt (University of Arizona).

Mark is based out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, his hometown. He received his BS from Drexel University and PhD from Rutgers University, Camden. His research interests include community ecology, ecological stoichiometry and agroecology. He is focused on understanding the impact of human activity on ecosystems in order to uncover real-world solutions. Besides research, Mark is a huge fan of movies, gardening, craft beer, and spending time with family and friends.

Matthew Broadway (PhD student)

Matt is leading a study with the goals of developing a protocol to monitor populations of Eastern Whip-poor-will and other nightjars in Oklahoma, and using the protocol to evaluate nightjar habitat associations in the state. Matt will also be developing other research aspects related to nightjar ecology, possibly including collaborative studies with other research groups currently investigating this charismatic and elusive species group. Matt's project is being co-advised by Scott along with Dr. Tim O'Connell (also in OSU NREM) and Dr. Rob Lonsinger (in the USGS Oklahoma Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit).

Matt received his BS degree from Auburn University and MS degree from the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point. In his free time, he can be found camping, working out, renovating his vintage airstream, or hunting with his Red Setter.

Holly Todaro (PhD student)

Holly is the current Dr. Fritz L. Knopf PhD Fellow. Her project will focus broadly on grassland bird conservation, using both field components and existing datasets to answer novel research questions. Holly's project is being co-advised by Scott and Dr. Courtney Duchardt (University of Arizona).

Holly grew up in Port Huron, Michigan and received her BS from Central Michigan University, and her MS from Mississippi State University. Her general research interests include species-habitat interactions, investigating links between landscapes and spatial patterns using animal movement and/or distribution, and conservation. In her free time, Holly enjoys being outside, thrifting, cooking, and spending time with family and friends.

Dylan Cooper (PhD student)

Dylan is leading a study with the goals of developing a monitoring protocol for Loggerhead Shrikes in Oklahoma, and evaluating habitat associations of shrikes in breeding and non-breeding seasons. He also hopes to expand this study by connecting shrike occupancy to prey community composition and occurrence of the ecologically similar American Kestrel. Due to his interest in citizen science, Dylan will also develop a curriculum to engage the public in Loggerhead Shrike monitoring, conservation and research. Dylan’s project is co-advised by Dr. Tim O’Connell (also in NREM) and Dr. Courtney Duchardt (Univ. of Arizona) as well as by Scott.

Dylan grew up in Phoenix, Arizona. He received a BS in Biological Sciences from Arizona State University and a MS in Biology from University of Nebraska–Kearney. Dylan previously studied feeding habits of Barn Owls and range expansion of Broad-billed Hummingbird. His research interests include avian ecology and urban evolution. In his free time, Dylan enjoys gaming, playing with his dogs, and outdoor activities like birding, hiking, SCUBA diving, and skiing.

Lucas Bobay (Master's Student)

Lucas is studying the effects of fire and grazing on native and non-native earthworm populations in tallgrass prairies of the Flint Hills ecoregion, specifically, at the Nature Conservancy's Tallgrass Prairie Preserve near Pawhuska, Oklahoma. He is also investigating whether earthworms provide a potential fire-mediated food source for migratory shorebirds (e.g., American Golden Plover, Upland and Buff-breasted Sandpiper) that stopover in recently burned areas in this region. Lucas's project is being co-advised by Scott along with Dr. Sam Fuhlendorf (also in OSU NREM) and includes collaboration with Dr. Torre Hovick at North Dakota State University.

Lucas is originally from Raleigh, North Carolina, and received his BS in Wildlife Biology from North Carolina State University. His research interests center around applied ecology, conservation, and avian migration. An avid birder, Lucas also enjoys hiking, camping, traveling, cross-country skiing, and getting off the beaten path.

Jozlyn Kizer (Master's Student)

Jozlyn is co-leading our study of how woody plant encroachment into Great Plains grasslands (by eastern redcedar) is affecting tick populations and the ecology of tick-borne diseases. She is a graduate student in OSU's Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology and is being co-advised by Scott and Dr. Bruce Noden (also in OSU's EPP Department).

Jozlyn is from Mooreland, Oklahoma and received a BS degree in The History of Science, Technology, and Medicine from the University of Oklahoma. Her research interests center on the ecological impacts and spread of tick-borne diseases and public health awareness surrounding vector-borne diseases. Jozlyn's hobbies include camping, skiing, Jiu-Jitsu, and gardening.

Tucker Taylor (Master's Student)

Tucker is co-leading our study of how woody plant encroachment in Great Plains grasslands (by eastern redcedar) is affecting tick populations and the ecology of tick-borne diseases, and he will also evaluate how the role of birds in carrying ticks is affected by woody plant encroachment. He is a graduate student in OSU's Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology and is being co-advised by Scott and Dr. Bruce Noden (also in OSU's EPP Department).

Tucker grew up outside Boston, Mass, and received a BS in Biology from Tufts University. After years working in conservation biology, he made the leap to disease ecology while studying tick-infested songbirds. He hopes to use vector-borne disease ecology as a lens to approach public health problems, especially in the realm of tick-borne illnesses. You can usually find Tucker hosting board game nights or scoping the shores for feathery friends (coastline permitting).

Riley Lawson (Master's Student)

Riley is leading our study evaluating the effectiveness of window marker treatments in reducing bird-window collisions on the Oklahoma State University campus. Specifically, Riley will conduct a before-after control-impact study comparing post-treatment numbers of collisions to numbers of collisions observed in a baseline, pre-treatment study led by Dr. Corey Riding, Loss Lab PhD alumnus. Riley will also conduct research on other aspects of bird-window collisions and/or their management; he is being co-advised by Scott and Dr. Tim O'Connell (also in OSU NREM).

Riley is from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, and received his BS degree in Natural Resource Ecology & Management from OSU in 2020. He previously worked in the Loss Lab in his undergraduate years on several projects, including a study on coyote sensory ecology that resulted in a first-authored publication, as well as several literature reviews. His research interests include avian ecology, conservation biology, and spatial ecology. In his free time, Riley enjoys birding, hiking, and playing/watching soccer.

Maria Bleitz (Master's Student)

Maria is studying how climate change affects wetland habitat for migrating shorebirds that stopover in the U.S. Great Plains. Part of this work will involve analyzing movement and stopover habitat use data for GPS-tracked WIllets, and another to-be-determined aspect of the work will entail fieldwork to study stopover habitat. Maria's project continues research initiated by Postdoctoral Fellow Dave Londe, and she is co-advised by Scott and Dr. Craig Davis (also in OSU NREM)

Maria grew up mainly in Saline, Michigan, but has been lucky to live in several places. She earned her BS in Biology from Calvin University in 2020. Some of her research interests include wetland management, the implications of human-caused climate change, and bird behavior. Maria enjoys reading, using iNaturalist, foraging, trying new recipes, traveling, and getting drinks and food with friends.

Jules Campbell (Master's Student/DVM degree)

Jules is a dual degree student at OSU's College of Veterinary Medicine and in NREM. Jules leads a study on how anthropogenic and environmental factors like climate change affect intake of raptors into wildlife rehabilitation centers using Mississippi Kites as a model. This research will increase understanding of trends in wildlife rehab admissions, which will give help guide wildlife veterinarians in better treating raptor intakes. Jules is being co-advised by Scott, Dr. Tim O'Connell (also in NREM) and Dr. Joao Brandao (OSU CVM)

Jules received a BS degree in Small Animal Science from Delaware Valley University. She has always had a passion for wildlife and began her journey working in wildlife education for 3 years before pursuing her DVM. She is a board member for a local NJ non-profit, Lokai Rose, where she works towards the mission of educating the public on the importance of environmental conservation and respect for the natural world. Now as a veterinary student, Jules is working towards a career in conservation medicine. In her free time, Jules enjoys volunteering at the Stillwater Humane Society.

Lab Alumni

Postdoctoral Fellows

Dr. Ellery Lassiter (Postdoctoral Fellow, 2023-2024)

Dr. Ellen Robertson (Postdoctoral Fellow, 2020-2023)

Dr. Dave Londe (Postdoctoral Fellow, 2021-2023)

Dr. Shishir Paudel (Postdoctoral fellow, 2014-2019)

Graduate Students

Georgia Riggs (MS Student, 2019-2021)

Yevgeniya Malyutina (MS Student, 2019-2021)

Dr. Jared Elmore (PhD student, 2016-2020)

Sirena Lao (MS student, 2017-2019)

Matt Fullerton (MS Student, 2016-2019)

Dr. Corey Riding (PhD student, 2014-2019)

Megan Roselli (MS student, 2017-2019)

Dillon Fogarty (MS student, 2014-2016)

Maureen Thompson (MS student, 2014-2016)

Undergraduate Research Scholars

Alexis Skurnack (Undergraduate Researcher, 2021-2023)

Seraiah Coe (Undergraduate Researcher, 2018-2021)

Brooke Boughton (Undergraduate Researcher, 2021-2022)

Abby Hurt (Undergraduate Researcher, 2020-2021)

Riley Lawson (Undergraduate Researcher, 2016-2019)

Ashton Roberts (Undergraduate Researcher, 2016-2018)

Kali Roberson (Undergraduate Researcher, 2016-2017)

Chrissy Barton (Post-undergraduate Researcher; 2016)

Katie Schwartz (Undergraduate Researcher, 2016)

Lisa Elizondo (Undergraduate Researcher, 2014-2015)

Cala Hakseth (Research Technician, 2014)